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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 2025).

The Things They Say!

This is a good opportunity to say thanks to BSH for their support of the jazz scene in the North East (and beyond) - it's no exaggeration to say that if it wasn't for them many, many fine musicians, bands and projects across a huge cross section of jazz wouldn't be getting reviewed at all, because we're in the "desolate"(!) North. (M & SSBB on F/book 23/12/24)

Postage

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 09: Anatole Muster Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50., £12.50. concs.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED?

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Sunday, December 12, 2021

The Joe Webb Trio: The Art of Tatum @ The Bear Club, Luton - Dec 11

Joe Webb (piano); Dave Archer (guitar); Will Sach (double bass)

Over the course of some eighteen months or so of lockdown pianist Joe Webb explored the music of Art Tatum and in the process put together a show dedicated to performing the music of the legendary American pianist. In August, Newcastle's Lit & Phil hosted a first live show and now, some four months on, Bebop Spoken Here made the trip south from its Tyneside base to check out how things have been going.
  
The Bear Club in Mill Yard, tucked away off Guildford Street, is one of Luton's hidden gems. Since 2014 proprietor Justin John Doherty has worked tirelessly to develop the stripped-back-to-the-brick venue into a welcoming space for live jazz and other events. This evening the big attraction was the Joe Webb Trio playing a final engagement on the trio's self-styled 'Webb City' tour. Arriving early, your correspondent had the pick of the seats. And there was Joe, together with Dave Archer and Will Sach, tucking into a pre-gig meal. A quick 'hello', we'd catch up later in the evening. 

It was to be two sets of Tatum, plus, and it couldn't be anything other than a bonus, some Oscar Peterson! Honeysuckle Rose to start. Wow! Just as it was at the Lit & Phil, this was the business! Sitting at the Bear Club's Yamaha piano, Webb made it look so easy, playing with a free-flowing technique to die for. Guitarist Dave Artist is as swinging as they come - Tiny Grimes, Herb Ellis - underpinned by a wonderful blues feel, bassist, New Yorker Will Sach, possesses an old school dry, woody sound, technique in spades yet admirably content to play the part (no chart!) as required. A class act, all three of them. Moonglow, an impossibly good take on I Got Rhythm, this alone was worth the trip south.

Herbie's Tune and Sunday from the Oscar Peterson album recorded live at Zardi's brought out the best in the Webb City Trio, that said, Webb, Archer and Sach are incapable of delivering anything other than their best. Winter Wonderland acknowledged a forthcoming occasion, whatever that might be, and, to close, a stupendous take on Flying Home. Joe Webb is one of the pianists of his generation and Luton's Bear Club is a fine venue in which to present his music. Check out: www.the-bear.club. Russell
                             
Set list included: Honeysuckle RoseMoonglowI Got RhythmWhen I Wish Upon a StarHerbie's Tune; I Ain't Got NobodyBody and Soul; Anything GoesSunday; Deep PurpleTea for TwoTiny's ExerciseTwo Sleepy People(I Would Do) Anything for YouWinter WonderlandFlying Home

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